freaking awesome. you also know alot more about this shit than i do, so im glad youre interested. im gonna attempt to resurrect the thread scott referenced. youll see an update at some point. i guess just give whatever insight, input you have.

I agree with Abbey that it's probably incredibly difficult to have a system including both rookiesand veterans/champs. It will only get more difficult as years create more champs, more new venues,more new voices.More of a nightmare?

Are we going to get to a point where we have to create a way to expand (like W&I for NPS)?Could wait-list one year mean a higher value in putting in for competing next year, or as part of the criteria?(I think there's something like that for NPS).Brian is suggesting added poets to bouts, which raises questions about number of poets a bout can stand.RAC is right about fatigue. I think there are already almost too many per bout.What's the maximum number of bouts we can split poets up into & then ask a host city & crew to handle?Could another set be added? I already feel like we are at about the max, which just means tough cookies. (?)

I'm saying "need" I guess, Scott, because I keep hearing those mouths (and being dropped---opening and closing). Maybe "need" is semantically too strong.

Is the rubric already using a computer program or is it manual?I'm still curious about that.

Wait. Are you telling me the Host City can have a cupcake eating round if it wants!?!?!?

Rachel, I don't thank you for your brilliant ideas often enough. Henceforth, poets shall have to eat their way through 300 cupcakes, stomp through balloons, climb the rafters, kick a bucket of pudding through a hoop, and ride a tricycle to the stage if they want into the last chance slam.

OK, maybe just half of that. In all seriousness, here are the specific instructions and parameters to sign up for the last chance slam:

We will take the first 12 eligible PSI members that sign up - doors open at 6 pm, slam starts at 8 pm. If there is a line of more than 12 when doors open at 6 pm, we will take those competitors that are present and eligible and place them in a random draw for the 12 open spots.

Wait. Are you telling me the Host City can have a cupcake eating round if it wants!?!?!?

We will take the first 12 eligible PSI members that sign up - doors open at 6 pm, slam starts at 8 pm. If there is a line of more than 12 when doors open at 6 pm, we will take those competitors that are present and eligible and place them in a random draw for the 12 open spots.

Thank you for that clarification.

Also, if ya'll would just stop having interesting discussions, that would be great---I keep coming in here for paperwork and getting sucked in

Thank you very much to Abbey for all the work she did put into trying to get this right. Clearly this is a popular tournament that has a lot of interest, but trying organize all the submissions into the best possible list based on all the factors that are considered is a daunting task that I know I am not up to.

I do know I am looking forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks and introducing y'all to my family! My daughter is already super excited to see all these strong female poets!